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‘Wayne Rooney would improve Arsenal’s team overnight’

Harry Redknapp has suggested that Arsenal should sign Wayne Rooney in the summer as he can’t see the Manchester United captain leaving for China before Tuesday’s deadline.

Rooney’s future at Manchester United is in doubt, with the club captain no longer a guaranteed starter under Jose Mourinho.

His agent, Paul Stretford, is reportedly in China attempting to negotiate a deal for his client, but it is thought that Rooney would prefer to remain in the Premier League.

In his London Evening Standardcolumn, Redknapp suggests that Arsenal should sign him so that he can shout at players when they aren’t running around enough.

The former Tottenham boss writes: “Arsenal should take a gamble and sign Wayne Rooney on a two-year contract. There’s no love lost between Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger but Petr Cech moved between the two managers and Wayne deserves the chance to choose his next move.

“It is pretty clear his time at Manchester United is coming to an end. Jose is saying all the right things publicly but his team selections make it obvious he doesn’t fancy him and that’s his choice as manager.

“There’s a lot of talk about Rooney going to China but I can’t see that happening, at least not before Tuesday’s transfer window deadline.

“Everything would have to be 100 per cent right and even though he has got Paul Stretford behind him – a very experienced guy and top football agent – it is a very long process to get a deal of that size over the line.

Normal people "fly." Football people "jet." So Wayne Rooney's agent "jets" to China.

“I suppose they could have been working on a deal for a while which would help but it makes more sense to keep his options open until the summer. And if Rooney is available then, the Gunners should come in for him.

“Arsenal looked at him a few years ago so we know Arsene is a fan. He would improve that team overnight because they have an issue with attitude and he is a winner.

“I watched Arsenal the other night at Sutton and I know it was a difficult pitch but some of their younger players were getting caught in possession, losing it cheaply and were putting their team in danger.

“There was nobody there shouting: ‘Oi, f***ing liven up!’ They get away with it all the time. Nobody sticks the boot into them, whether that’s from the dugout or other players on the pitch. Rooney would be someone out there on his team-mates’ case, digging them out if they aren’t at it. That would be invaluable for Arsenal.

“Arsene always had Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira to set standards and call people out for him. Maybe Rooney could do that job for him now.”